Energy Systems

LifeTips Exercise Tip of the Day

Most sports, especially team sports, are anaerobic, with short bursts of activity. The aerobic energy system doesn’t kick in until 3-5 minutes of continuous activity. Train the energy system you need for your sport. Football and basketball players, for instance, need to do short-to-moderate sprints and intervals, and have little need to run long distances. Aerobic sports, like long distance running, endurance cycling, distance swimming, triathlon, mountaineering, etc. require long, sustained training routines. Soccer players benefit from aerobic training, and tennis can have both aerobic and anaerobic components, depending on how you play.